Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

I love Animation. I've been unknowingly doing it since I was 12years old. But as of late I've taken an interest in live action film making.

There is something extraordinary about shooting a live human being. Therange of emotion, the subtleties, capturing their essence. Showing thesequalities in animation are no easy task. Your sitting there at your desk, alone,trying to concentrate, hoping to bring forth some illusion of life. If your luckyevery now and then you stumble on something. A break through! You get excitedand you are recharged. You keep going. On and On plowing forward, looking forthe next plateau, Like a crackhead. Dang.... Yeah animators are crack heads.I suppose that's where the magic comes in. Why animators do it in the firstplace. To get that high. That feeling of satisfaction. Then you play it overand over, marveling at your new accomplishment. Its supremelychallenging, and can be very rewarding.

Film however is an entirely different story

The thing I love about animation is that you can tell your story entirely byyourself. You can sit there and create all of your characters, sets, and props.You could disappear into a dark room for 8 years by yourself and come outwith the next star wars. You don't have to worry about whiny ass primadonna actors. Every last element is created.

Ironically enough, that's also the same thing I hate about animation. I missthe human interaction. The bond you develop when you work closely withothers. In animation most of your time is spent at a desk, by yourself.Focusing and concentrating, trying to create those characters, sets and props.Your in doors all day, unless you dig laptop glare. Oh and did I mentionthat there are absolutely no sistas in animation! I remember hearinga long time ago that in the animation industry that there are hardly anywomen. Well if there are hardly any women in animation. Finding a black femaleanimator is like finding Al Sharpton at a Ralph Bakshi screening.

Anyway...

Here is a classic I recently discovered that you have probably never heard of.

These are the types of films that greatly inspire me as an Artist and Animator.